Headlight-adjuster for automobiles.



A. LEE.

HEADLIGHT ADJUSTER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21. 1916.

I 1,198,933; Puivntvd Sept. 19, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

R N IMLMQb A. LEE.

HEADUGHT ADJUSTER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

'APPLICAIION HLED APR.2|. l9l6 Pahmted Sp't. 19, 1916.

2 sums-shin 2.

- STATES PATENT: OFFICE.

ALVIN LEE, 0E IEANKEonT HEIGHTS, ILLINoIs, AssIeNoIt or oNE-IIA E'ro ARTHUR E. MARTIN, or EnANxEon'r HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS.

HEADLIGHT-ADJUSTER FOR Au'romosILEs.

Application filed April 21, 1916. I Serial No. 92,645.

To all whom it may concern fort Heights, in the county of Franklin and State'of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Headlight-Adjusters for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a fullfclear, aIRl exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it-appertains to make and use the same.

"This invention relates to a headhght adjuster for automobiles and more particularly to a means-- for automatically turning the'headlights in the direction ofthe steermobile. 1

Another object of this invention" is to provide a novel means of operatively con-' necting' the headlights to the stub axles of the automobile, whereby upon turning of 'the stub axles, the headlights will move in a corresponding direction to throw the rays of light in the path of-the automobile when making a turn tothe right or left.

A further object of this invention-is to provide the means connecting theheadlights to the, stub axles of a constructionthat the front axle of the automobile will be free to move upwardly anddownwardly with'- out interfering with the operation of the headlights, I I

A still further object-of this invention is :the provision of a headlight adjuster for automobiles of the above stated character, which shall be simple, durableand eflicient,

- and which maybe manufactured at a comparatively low-cost.

With these and other objects in view as and sold -will become more apparent as thedescriptionproceeds, the invention consists in certain novel' features of construction, combiclaimed'. v For acomplete understanding of my Invention, reference is to be had tov the folnation and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more 'fully described and e lowing clescrlption and accompanying draw- Be it known that I, ALVINLEl l, acitiz em of the- United States, residing at Frank- .samdillustrating the headlights removed,

rotatably stub axles? receive the arms 6 of the front axle 5 and the arms 10 extend between the Specificationof Letters fatent. Patented Sept. 19,1916.

ings, inwhich-P- Figure 1- is'a front elevation of a headlighfiad'juster, constructed in accordance witll my inventi on and applied to an automobile, Fig.12is a top plan "viewof the I Fig. is alside elevation, illustrating the means ofjconnecting the-headlights to the front axleofan automobile-Fig.4 is a vertical sectional-view taken on the line 44- of. Fig. '1, looking in the direction indi cated by the arrows,'Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of alamp actuating rod, Fig. '6

is a detail view illustrating a means of securing the lamp standards to the lamp Supporting brackets, and Fig; -7 is a perspective view of one section of. a collar forsecuring the lamp standards to, the lamp supporting brackets. Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the chassis of an aut0- mobile, having a radiator 2 mounted on its forward end. Secured to theforward end of the chassis 1 is a front spring 3,'having its ends pivoted toarms 4 carried by a front 'axle 5. The front axle 5 is provided with its ends bifurcated to form arms 6 which are provided with alining apertures. The) stub axles? have steering wheels 8 journaled thereon and have formed thereon rela-. tlvely spaced arms 9, which are provided with alining apertures. Formed on the stub axles 7 are arms 10 which are positioned between the arms 9 and are provided with apertures in their ends. The arms 9 of the arms 6, having the apertures of all of the arms arranged in vertical alinement with each other. Pins 11- extend through the apertures of the arms and are rigidly secured to the arms 10 by set screws 12 to cause the pins'to turn upon turning of the stub axles -7. The upper. ends of the pins 11 are formed to provide arms 13, which are aper tured to receive bolts 14. Squared shafts 109 .15 f r Pr vided with apertures in th ir lower ends and are positioned between /the arms 13 and secured thereto by the bolts 14 passing throu h the apertures in the" shafts 15. Formed on each of the stub axles 7 are rearwardly extending arms 16, wliich are pivotally connected together by a connecting rod 17. which is usually connected t th steering gear of the automobile f turning the steering wheels 8 in a corre sponding direction. Lamp brackets 18 are bolted or otherwise secured to the forward end of the chassis 1 upon each side thereof and are provided with bearings 19 formed on the free ends, the upper faces of which are flattened. Lamp standards 20. having their lower ends enlargml and flattened are positioned on the bearings 19 and provided with their upper ends reduced and secured to headlights 21 of any desired construction. In order to rotatably secure the lamp standards 20 to the bearings 19 collars 22 are provided, each of which are constructed of a pair of sections being hinged together at one of their ends and opposite ends bent to form securing arms, which may be detachably secured together in any suitable manner. The sec tions of the collars are provided with flanges 23 upon each edge thereof. The collars are placed around the bearings 19 and the lamp standards 20, having their flanges 23 OVGI'".

lying a portion of them to rotatably secure the lamp standards 20 tothe bearings 19.

' The collars 22 are provided with elongated slots therein for allowing lamp actuating arms 24 to extend therethrough which are formed on the lamp standards 20. The arms 24 are connected together by a rod 25.

Substantially Vshaped supporting brackets 26 are bolted or otherwise secured to each side of the chassis 1 adjacent lamp supporting brackets 18 and are provided with bearings 27 which have journaled therein bushings 28, which are provided with squared bores-to receive the squared shafts 15 and allow them to rotate and slide freely therein. Lamp actuating rods 29 are provided with one of their ends enlarged and having squared bores to receive the squared shaft and rest upon the bearings 27. The en- 30 ,t( ,'rece1ve bolts 31 that are threaded into the bearings ating arms 24: by

27 of the V-shaped supporting brackets 26 to rotatably secure the lamp actuating rods 29 to the V-shaped supporting brackets. The lampv actuating rods 29 extend forwardly and downwardly as illustrated at 32 links which are pivoted to the lamp actuthe same pivot means that connect the rods-25 to them. I

From the-foregoing description taken in connectiomwith the accompanying drawings, it will be noted when the steering wheels 8 are turned, the stub axles 7 will turn the squared shafts 15 by the pins 11 and will turn the headlights 21 in a corresponding direction to throw the rays of light from the headlights in the path of the steering and are pivotally connected to wheels 8 at all times.

The squared shafts 15 are slidable through the V-shaped supporting brackets 26 and the lamp actuating rods 29 to allow the axle 5 to move upwardly and downwardly in relation with the chassis 1 caused by the automobile passing over uneven ground. I

W hile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A headlight adjuster for automobiles comprising lamp supporting brackets, bearings formed on the ends of the lamp supporting brackets and provided with their upper faces flattened, lamp standards provided with their lower ends enlarged and flattened and positioned upon the bearings, collars surrounding the lamp standards and bearings, flanges formed on said collars and overlying the lamp standards and the bearings to rotatably secure the lamp standards to the bearings, headlights secured to said lamp standards,'lamp actuating arms formed on the lamp standards and extending forwardly thereof, and means for' operativel connecting the lamp actuating arms with the stub axles of an automobile to turn the headlights. l

2. A headlight adjuster for automobiles comprising lam-p supporting'brackets secured to the chassis of an automobile, bearings formed on the ends of the lamp sup-. porting brackets, lamp Standards provided with their lower ends enlarged and flattened and positioned upon the bearings, sectional collars surrounding the lower ends of the lamp standards and bearings, flanges formed on the collars and overlying the lower ends of the lamp standards and bearings, said collars provided with elongated slots there in, lamp. actuating arms formed on the en larged lower ends of the lamp standards and extending through the slots in the collars, headlights secured to the lamp standards, and means for operatively connecting the lamp actuating arms with the stub axles of the automobile to turn the headlights.

3. A headlight adjuster comprising substantially V-shaped brackets secured to an automobile, bearings formed on the apex portions of the brackets, squared shafts journaled in said bearings, means for turning the shafts according to the direction of the front wheels of the automobile bearing, brackets secured to the automobile, lamp standards jourualed in the last i'nentioned brackets, headlights carried by said standards, means for connecting the lamp standards together, and means for connecting the lamp standards to the squared shafts toturn the headlights. 3 o i I 4. A headlight ad'uster, comprising substantially V-, aped' rackets secured toan automobile, 'l. ,arings formed on the apex portions of the brackets, bushings journaled in said bearings and having squared openings therein, squared shafts journaled insaid openings of the bushings, brackets secured to the automobile, lamp standards formed on the apex portions of the brackets, squared shafts journaled in said bear- 7 ings, means for turning the shafts accord ing to the direction the front Wheelsof an Copies ottlfil patent may be obtained for automobile are turned, brackets secured to the automobile, lamp standards journaled in said brackets, headlights secured to said standards, means for connecting the lamp standards together, lamp actuating rods provided with one of their ends enlarged and apertured to receive the squared shafts and resting upon the bearings, said enlarged end of the lamp actuating rods having elongated arcuate shaped slots, pins extending through the slots and carried'by the -bearings; and links connected to the lamp actuating rods and to the lamp standards for turning the headlights according ment of the squared shafts.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v ALVIN LEE.

Witnesses:

GEO: W, WRIGHT, R. M. WRIGHT.

five cents each, b addressing the "commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. s

v to the move- 

